Woven product having a sublimation printing surface for imaging and a method of manufacturing same

ABSTRACT

A woven product formed by providing natural fiber warp yarns of various colors, providing natural fiber weft yarns of various colors, and providing synthetic weft yarns capable of receiving sublimation printing ink dyes. The yarns are woven together by selectively exposing the natural fiber warp yarns, the natural fiber weft yarns, and the synthetic weft yarns during weaving. Selected areas containing exposed synthetic weft are dyed by sublimation printing for personalizing the woven product. During weaving, the yarns are controlled to float the synthetic weft yarns in the selected areas where exposure of the synthetic weft yarns is concentrated to provide a print receiving face for sublimation printing which holds sublimation printing dye.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority from a provisional application filedFeb. 19, 2004 under Ser. No. 60/546,068.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to sublimation printing on a wovenproduct, and more particularly, to a woven product containing naturaland synthetic yarns constructed and arranged to provide a printreceiving face for imaging using sublimation printing techniques topersonalize the woven product.

2) Description of Related Art

Sublimation printing is a process well known in the prior art fortransferring dyes to synthetic textile fabrics, such as polyester, toprint virtually any image on the item. A problem arises in that naturalfibers, such as cotton, do not hold the inks used in most sublimationprinting processes. As is noted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,610, substantialdifficulty has arisen in attempting to print cotton and other naturalfiber fabrics by sublimation transfer of sublimation printing dyestuffs. As is well known to those skilled in the art, attempts to printfabrics made from cotton or blends of cotton and synthetic fibersillustrate this difficulty. It is known, generally, that any fabriccontaining cotton and printed by sublimation dye transfer of sublimabledye without a special agent assisting in transfer or bonding of the dyeto the fabric, will not satisfactorily be printed with the dye. Forexample, unaided sublimation dye transfer printing of a fabricconsisting of cotton or a mixture of cotton and polyester fibers, forexample in a weight ratio of 35:65 respectively, results in totallyunsatisfactory products with readily visible unprinted areas and poorwash fastness. If the cotton content of the fabric is lowered so thatthe ratio is 20:80, the graininess in the fabric coloration persists.Even if the ratio is changed to 10:90, so that only a very smallfraction of the fabric consists of cotton fibers, the desirable fastnessof the dye still is not achieved.

Attempts to solve this problem have resulted in a variety of coating andimpregnation solutions that are used to treat the natural fiber yarns toallow the inks to transfer and hold to the yarns. However, thesetreatments increase the cost of production and have produce yarns ofless than desirable texture. Further, the performance of the coatingsand impregnation solutions have been generally unacceptable in holdingthe inks to the natural yarns for extended periods of time and washings.

Afghans are typically woven using cotton and other natural fibers.Unlike printing an image on a t-shirt, the weave of the afghan is suchas to produce a desired image using a plurality of colored yarns.However, as noted above, when using only natural yarns, there is noability to use sublimation printing to personalize the afghan withletters or images as the inks will not properly adhere to the naturalfibers.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a wovenproduct with a high concentration of natural yarn that also incorporatessynthetic yarns selectively exposed in the weave to provide a printreceiving face for imaging by sublimation printing techniques.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The above objective is accomplished according to the present inventionby providing a method of constructing a woven product that includes thesteps of providing natural fiber warp yarns of various colors; providingnatural fiber weft yarns of various colors; and providing synthetic weftyarns capable of receiving sublimation printing ink dyes. The methodincludes weaving the natural fiber warp yarns, the natural fiber weftyarns, and the synthetic weft yarns together to form the woven product.The method also includes selectively exposing the natural fiber warpyarns, the natural fiber weft yarns, and the synthetic weft yarns duringweaving to form woven images, and dying by sublimation printing selectedareas containing exposed synthetic weft yarns for personalizing thewoven product.

In a preferred embodiment, the method includes the step of controllingthe natural fiber warp yarns, the natural fiber weft yarns, and thesynthetic weft yarns to float the synthetic weft yarns in the selectedareas and concentrating exposure of the synthetic weft yarns in theselected areas to provide a print receiving face for the sublimationprinting which holds sublimation printing dye.

Preferably, the synthetic weft yarns are selected from the groupconsisting of polyester, nylon, and acrylic yarns. Also, it is preferredthat the natural fiber warp yarns and the natural fiber weft yarns areselected from cotton yarns.

In a further embodiment, the method includes weaving the natural fiberwarp yarns, the natural fiber weft yarns, and the synthetic weft yarnsto produce a positive image displayed on a front side of the wovenproduct, and a negative image displayed on a reverse side of the wovenproduct.

In an particularly advantageous embodiment, the synthetic weft yarns areexposed on a front side of the woven product across the entire surfaceof the front side so that the woven image is a blank image forming aprint receiving face over the entire front side.

Preferably, the natural fiber warp yarns and the natural fiber weftyarns comprise a majority of the yarns used to construct the wovenproduct. In a particularly preferred embodiment, approximately 60% to80% of all warp and weft yarns in the woven product are natural fiberyarns and approximately 20% to 40% of all warp and weft yarns aresynthetic yarns.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the method includes the step ofproviding synthetic warp yarns capable of receiving sublimation printingink dyes and selectively exposing the synthetic warp yarns together withthe synthetic weft yarns in the selected areas to provide saturatedcoverage of the selected areas with synthetic yarns for increasedprinting resolution.

Preferably, the synthetic weft yarns are selected from the groupconsisting of white and uncolored synthetic yarns. In a preferredembodiment, the synthetic weft yarns are provided with a fluffy nap thatoverlap with the warp yarns to provide an increased print receivingface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The construction designed to carry out the invention will hereinafter bedescribed, together with other features thereof. The invention will bemore readily understood from a reading of the following specificationand by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof,wherein an example of the invention is shown and wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a front side view of an afghan according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 shows a reverse side of the afghan displaying a negative image ofFIG. 1 according to the present invention; and,

FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of a portion of the afghan with exposedsynthetic yarns providing a print receiving face according to thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to the drawings, the invention will now be described inmore detail. Referring to FIG. 1, an afghan in accordance with theinvention is generally indicated by the reference number 10. To beclear, it is noted that all the components and parts of afghan 10 arenot shown and/or marked in all the drawings. It is also noted that thepresent invention is described as an afghan in the preferred embodiment,which is intended to describe the novel characteristics and features ofthe invention, in addition to its function, and that the inventiongenerally relates to any woven piece of material in which thecharacteristics and features described herein can be applied by thoseskilled in the art of weaving.

To arrive at the invention, a method for constructing afghan 10 isdisclosed herein in which the method involves incorporating both naturalfiber yarns and synthetic yarns woven to provide a woven image. As usedherein, the term woven image is used generally to refer to thearrangement of natural and synthetic yarns which provide anything from ablank woven image to an image depicting various patterns, figures,symbols, and the like. In an embodiment as described herein, the yarnsare woven to provide a woven image having printable and non-printablesurfaces on a front side, designated generally as 16, of the afghan forpersonalization of the afghan.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, warp yarns, designated generally as 12,consisting of a plurality of natural fiber yarns 13 of various colors,are provided for weaving. In a preferred embodiment, the natural fiberyarns are cotton, but alternatively, these yarns may be selected fromany of the well known naturally fiber yarns used by those skilled in theart to produce items such as afghan 10.

The weft yarns, designated generally as 14, also known as the “fill”,consist of a combination of natural fiber yarns 15 and synthetic yarns17 of various colors. Again, in a preferred embodiment, natural fiberyarns 15 are cotton, but are not limited to cotton as a variety of otherwell known naturally fiber yarns are available for use by those skilledin the art. The synthetic yarns 17, in a preferred embodiment, arepolyester, which are capable of receiving and holding ink dyes for usein sublimation printing techniques. Other synthetic yarns such as nylonand acrylics, alone or in combination with the polyester or each othermay alternatively be used in the weft yarns for weaving with the warpyarns. Alternatively, the synthetic yarns could be incorporated with thenatural fiber warp yarns, and the weft yarns may include only naturalfiber yarns. Accordingly, the invention is not limited to specificallyusing the synthetic yarns in one or other of the warp and weft yarns,and may be incorporated in either or both the warp and weft. Asdiscussed in detail herein below, synthetic yarns may advantageously beincluded in both the warp and the weft for selective exposure to providea higher resolution print receiving face.

The warp and weft yarns 12 and 14 are woven together to form afghan 10with a front side 16 and a reverse side 18, shown in FIG. 2. Bothnatural fiber yarns 13 and 15, and synthetic yarns 17 are selectivelyexposed from the warp and weft in a selected arrangement on front side16 of afghan 10 to form a positive image which is properly displayed andviewed on front side 16 of the afghan. As can be seen from FIG. 2, anegative image is produced on reverse side 18 of the afghan which is notintended for viewing and is the result of the typical weaving processbetween the warp and weft yarns being selectively exposed on front side16. Although generally rectangular in shape as depicted in FIGS. 1 and2, afghan 10 can assume any desired shape, and is not limited to therectangular shape depicted.

Advantageously, warp yarns 12 and weft yarns 14 are controlled toexpose, also known as “floating”, synthetic yarns 17 in selected areason front side 16 of afghan 10 to concentrate exposure of the syntheticyarns in the selected areas. The ability to control the weave to float aparticular yarn is well known to those skilled in the art and will notbe presented in detail herein. This controlled floating of syntheticyarns 17 provides a print receiving face where the synthetic yarns areconcentrated, which is able to receive printing by sublimation printingtechniques. As is depicted in FIG. 1, a plurality of print receivingfaces, designated as 20 a, 20 b and 20 c, are provided on front side 16where letters, numbers or images can be printed, also known as imaged,on the synthetic yarns. Accordingly, the exposed synthetic yarnsconcentrated in the selected areas are selectively dyed usingsublimation printing techniques for personalizing afghan 10.

Alternatively, the synthetic weft yarns may be arranged to be exposed onfront side 16 across the entire surface of front side 16 so that thewoven image is a blank image forming a print receiving face over theentire front side. In this arrangement, reverse side 18 would exposeonly natural yarns so that front side 16 may be saturated with exposedsynthetic yarns for imaging.

In a preferred arrangement, the afghan can be constructed using amajority of cotton yarns at a ratio of approximately 60% to 80% cottonto only 20% to 40% polyester, which is the opposite teaching of theprior art that required a majority of polyester to provide an adequatesublimation printing surface. In a particularly preferred embodiment,the woven product is formed using approximately 75% cotton and 25%polyester. Since the polyester yarns are floated on the top of frontside 16 and concentrated in a specific area, the amount of polyester maybe significantly reduce to maintain the benefits of feel from thenatural fiber, while still maintaining the ability to provide asublimation print receiving surface in selected areas.

Referring to FIG. 3, in a preferred embodiment, synthetic yarns 17included a fluffy nap that further overlaps with natural fiber yarns 13and 15. Ink dye 21 is shown bonded to the nap of the synthetic yarns.The nap provides an increase in surface area for print receiving faces20 a-20 c, which enhances the resolution and of the print receivingfaces without increase the concentration of synthetic yarn in the weave.

Although it is not necessary that 100% of the selected area where thesynthetic yarns are concentrated be printing receiving material, such aspolyester, it is highly desired that as much as possible comprisesynthetic yarns. To provide 100% coverage in the selected area, theweave would have to include polyester yarns in the warp, as well as theweft. When printing receiving faces 20 a-20 c comprise less than 100% ofthe polyester floated on the selected portion of the image on front side16, the printable image definition is proportionally less than it wouldbe were the printing receiving faces 20 a-20 c made up of 100%polyester. However, as noted above, it is not necessary to provide afabric made of 100% polyester to produce a print receiving face that is100% polyester. Rather, the weave can be controlled to concentrate thepolyester or other printable synthetic yarn in selected areas forprinted by controlling the floating of the synthetic yarn. Whensynthetic yarns in the weft are combined with synthetic yarns includedin the warp, which would also be floated at the selected location forforming a print receiving face, a 100% polyester print receiving facemay be provided for high image quality.

Afghan 10 can be formed with synthetic yarns 17 in any desired color,although it is preferred that both the warp yarn passing through theprint receiving face, as well as the weft yarn floated to form theprinting receiving face 20 a-20 c be either white or uncolored materialso as to provide for the highest possible definition and brilliance ofthe printing applied to the yarns.

The process of printing on the print receiving faces using sublimationprinting techniques is well known in the art, and set forth in detail inU.S. Pat. No. 5,486,500, which is herein incorporated by reference forits description of sublimation printing techniques.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described usingspecific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, andit is to be understood that changes and variations may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the following claims.

1. A method of constructing a woven product having a sublimationprinting surface for imaging to personalize said woven product, saidmethod comprising the steps of: providing natural fiber warp yarns ofvarious colors; providing natural fiber weft yarns of various colors;providing synthetic weft yarns capable of receiving sublimation printingink dyes; weaving said natural fiber warp yarns, said natural fiber weftyarns, and said synthetic weft yarns together to form said wovenproduct; selectively exposing said natural fiber warp yarns, saidnatural fiber weft yarns, and said synthetic weft yarns during weavingto form woven images; and, dying by sublimation printing selected areascontaining exposed synthetic weft yarns for personalizing said wovenproduct.
 2. The method of claim 1 including controlling said naturalfiber warp yarns, said natural fiber weft yarns, and said synthetic weftyarns to float said synthetic weft yarns in said selected areas andconcentrating exposure of said synthetic weft yarns in said selectedareas to provide a print receiving face for said sublimation printingwhich holds sublimation printing dye.
 3. The method of claim 1 whereinsaid synthetic weft yarns are selected from the group consisting ofpolyester, nylon, and acrylic yarns.
 4. The method of claim 1 whereinsaid natural fiber warp yarns and said natural fiber weft yarns areselected from cotton yarns.
 5. The method of claim 1 including weavingsaid natural fiber warp yarns, said natural fiber weft yarns, and saidsynthetic weft yarns to produce a positive image displayed on a frontside of said woven product, and a negative image displayed on a reverseside of said woven product.
 6. The method of claim 1 including exposingsaid synthetic weft yarns on a front side of said woven product acrossthe entire surface of said front side so that said woven image is ablank image forming a print receiving face over the entire front side.7. The method of claim 1 wherein approximately 60% to 80% of all warpand weft yarns in said woven product are natural fiber yarns andapproximately 20% to 40% of all warp and weft yarns are synthetic yarns.8. The method of claim 1 including the step of providing synthetic warpyarns capable of receiving sublimation printing ink dyes and selectivelyexposing said synthetic warp yarns together with said synthetic weftyarns in said selected areas to provide saturated coverage of saidselected areas with synthetic yarns for increased printing resolution.9. The method of claim 1 wherein said synthetic weft yarns are selectedfrom the group consisting of white and uncolored synthetic yarns. 10.The method of claim 1 wherein said synthetic weft yarns are providedwith a fluffy nap that overlap with said warp yarns to provide anincreased print receiving face.
 11. A woven product having a sublimationprinting surface for imaging to personalize said woven product, saidwoven product comprising: natural fiber warp yarns of various colors;natural fiber weft yarns of various colors; synthetic weft yarns adaptedfor receiving sublimation printing ink dyes; said natural fiber warpyarns, said natural fiber weft yarns, and said synthetic weft yarnswoven together and selectively exposed; and, said synthetic weft yarnsbeing exposed in concentration in selected areas providing a printreceiving face for being dyed by sublimation printing to personalizesaid woven product.
 12. The woven product of claim 11 wherein saidsynthetic weft yarns are selected from the group consisting ofpolyester, nylon, and acrylic yarns.
 13. The woven product of claim 11wherein said natural fiber warp yarns and said natural fiber weft yarnsare selected from cotton yarns.
 14. The woven product of claim 11wherein said natural fiber warp yarns, said natural fiber weft yarns,and said synthetic weft yarns are woven together to produce a positiveimage displayed on a front side of said woven product, and a negativeimage displayed on a reverse side of said woven product.
 15. The wovenproduct of claim 11 wherein said synthetic weft yarns are exposed on afront side of said woven product across the entire surface of said frontside to provide a blank woven image forming a print receiving face overthe entire front side.
 16. The woven product of claim 11 whereinapproximately 60% to 80% of all warp and weft yarns in said wovenproduct are natural fiber yarns and approximately 20% to 40% of all warpand weft yarns are synthetic yarns.
 17. The woven product of claim 11including synthetic warp yarns capable of receiving sublimation printingink dyes being selectively exposed together with said synthetic weftyarns in said selected areas to provide saturated coverage of saidselected areas with synthetic yarns for increased printing resolution.18. The woven product of claim 11 wherein said synthetic weft yarns areselected from the group consisting of white and uncolored syntheticyarns.
 19. The woven product of claim 11 wherein said synthetic weftyarns include a fluffy nap that overlap with said warp yarns toincreased said print receiving face.
 20. A method of constructing awoven product having a sublimation printing surface for imaging topersonalize said woven product, said method comprising the steps of:providing first warp yarns consisting of natural fiber yarns of variouscolors; providing second warp yarns consisting of synthetic yarnscapable of receiving sublimation printing ink dyes; providing weft yarnsconsisting of natural fiber yarns of various colors; weaving said firstwarp yarns, said second warp yarns, and said weft yarns together to formsaid woven product; selectively exposing said first and second warpyarns, and said weft yarns during weaving; and, dying by sublimationprinting selected areas containing exposed synthetic warp yarns forpersonalizing said woven product.
 21. The method of claim 20 includingcontrolling said first and second warp yarns and said weft yarns tofloat said synthetic second warp yarns in said selected areas andconcentrating exposure of said synthetic warp yarns in said selectedareas to provide a print receiving face for said sublimation printingwhich holds sublimation printing dye.
 22. The method of claim 20including exposing said synthetic warp yarns on a front side of saidwoven product across the entire surface of said front side to provide ablank woven image forming a print receiving face over the entire frontside.
 23. The method of claim 20 wherein approximately 60% to 80% of allwarp and weft yarns in said woven product are natural fiber yarns andapproximately 20% to 40% of all warp and weft yarns are synthetic yarns.24. The method of claim 20 including the step of providing second warpyarns consisting of synthetic yarns capable of receiving sublimationprinting ink dyes, and selectively exposing said synthetic weft yarnstogether with said synthetic warp yarns in said selected areas toprovide saturated coverage of said selected areas with synthetic yarnsfor increased printing resolution.
 25. The method of claim 20 whereinsaid synthetic warp yarns are provided with a fluffy nap that overlapwith said weft yarns to provide an increased print receiving face.